Having my first BV Based Battle tomorrow, looking for suggestions.

[TimmyTheNerd]

Noted.

[VictorMorson]

If you get to play a rematch I recommend you consider some other Lyran '39 'mechs to mix out your force (giving you more of a chance to get the AC/20s in there):
Flashman, Archer, Crusader, Grasshopper, Marauder, Ostsol, Stalker, Banshee and Firestarter models are great augments to your next BV force.

Also if you really want to nail the Lyran thing perfectly you'll want heavier units with less skilled pilots; more weight, less talent is the Lyran way in '39.

[Peter Smith]

Also if you really want to nail the Lyran thing perfectly you'll want heavier units with less skilled pilots; more weight, less talent is the Lyran way in '39.

Disagree. While the officer corps is stocked with social climbers the Lyran non-coms are just as good as their counterparts in other realms.

[TimmyTheNerd]

I thought that by 3039, the military reforms, thanks to the alliance with House Davion, were taking place. According to the book in the Introductory box set, Inner Sphere at a Glance, the wedding between Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner happened on August 20th, 3028.

[Archer_Wirth]

Also learned a lot from your experience. Thanks for sharing! Some very good points I'm keeping track off as well. - question... can you look at your opponents 'Mechs' record sheets before the fight? - logical answer in my mind seems to be "no".

[TimmyTheNerd]

Also learned a lot from your experience. Thanks for sharing! Some very good points I'm keeping track off as well. - question... can you look at your opponents 'Mechs' record sheets before the fight? - logical answer in my mind seems to be "no".

I never heard of it being no. At least where I play we're allowed to look at eachothers' record sheets before, during and after the fight.

If you weren't allowed to look at their record sheet, they can lie about how much armor they have left, what weapons their Mech is armed with or the BV value of each Mech.

[monbvol]

As long as you had fun Timmy, that is the important part.

[TimmyTheNerd]

I did have fun. Even prepared me for how hard the campaign starting Friday may be.

[Weirdo]

Also learned a lot from your experience. Thanks for sharing! Some very good points I'm keeping track off as well. - question... can you look at your opponents 'Mechs' record sheets before the fight? - logical answer in my mind seems to be "no".

The default is that all information is public at all times. Unless you're using some very specific rules about concealing information(I think there's some in TacOps), players are required to show their record sheets(or any other relevant materials) any time their opponent asks.

Of course, there's a whole lot of fun to be found in what they don't think to ask about. You spend half the game marching a Century of infantry across a mapsheet on foot, people tend to assume you'd only do that if you had no other choice, and those troops couldn't possibly be wearing jump packs they aren't planning to use until they get close... ^-^

[Paul]

Late to this party, but read the thread.
Sounds like you had a fun, if brutal match, but also like you had fun, so good job on making sure the primary objective was met. ;)

The BV cap was set at 7000 BV.

My force will be: Lyran Carver V Regiment (My army's paint scheme is based on the Grey and Blue paint scheme of Steiner forces on Carver V in MechCommander 2)
Atlas AS7-RS
Commando COM-2D
Dervish DV-6M
Flea FLE-4
Hunchback HBK-4N
Zeus ZEU-5T

You mentioned you would be playing a campaign, and I'll assume you'd be campaigning with similar conditions: Lyran regiment vs Marik opponents.

Here's some general thoughts:

- You want to march units with a similar movement profile close together. This means they get affected by terrain similarly, and you'll be less easily tempted to stray off a unit because you see a tempting move elsewhere. IE, keeping the Dervish close with Atlas/Zeus/HBK combo would require some discipline, while also making the unit weaker, since it really needs to jump 5, or run 7 to survive.
- Obviously, you want to play the heavy metal role with Lyrans. This means learning how to overcome the associated speed deficiencies. Couple of ways to handle that:
* Lots of ranged weaponry. Your setup was actually decent for that. At that point, you focus on taking proper terrain, or  keeping the range in the brackets that suit you, but not them. You shoot the most fragile target with the most firepower first (in this example, the BLR because of its ammo) and keep lining movement to ensure you get nearly all your firepower heading at 1 target each turn.
* Go brawler. Load up on AC20s, SRMs and as many Medium Lasers as you can find the heatsinks for, rush as a single armored clump at the enemy, and fire, kick and punch at the same target until nothing remains. Care not about rear shots (the 2 escorting Mechs can worry about that) while the main four do their dirty work.
* Hammer and anvil approach. Half your force is made of armor and pain, the other is fast and brutal. You use the armored force to get the opponent engaged, then slam at them from behind with your faster elements moving in close formation. Hard to pull off if a typical fight is only 6 units, and if most fights are BV balanced, since you'll permit 100% of their BV to hammer only 70% of your BV or so while the hammer portion moves in place.

Note that most military strategy is concerned with making sure a fair fight never happens. But most games are meaningless unless both sides have an equal opportunity at winning the game.
The exception is a campaign, hence its appeal. In theory, it creates an environment where you can situationally have uneven combat, since there will be multiple battles that represent the whole.
That's relevant, since proper strategy on your part should allow you some opportunity at fights where you play to your strengths, and not your weaknesses.
Just realize that "uneven" doesn't always mean "favorable to you".

Fighting like a slow, armored, deadly force requires a certain inevitability to your action. The unspoken communication between you and your enemy. "Yes. You can flee from me whenever you want. But I am going to a place you cannot surrender to me. Stop me while you can."
Find the place he cannot run from. Make it, when you can.

Last piece of advice about playing like a Lyran: In many ways, it's always about cost and benefit. Return on investment. War is attrition. Make them pay for every retreat. Crush them when they stand. Armor is cheap, and you should spend it like coin the enemy has in deficiency.

Paul

[TimmyTheNerd]

Late to this party, but read the thread.
Sounds like you had a fun, if brutal match, but also like you had fun, so good job on making sure the primary objective was met. ;)

You mentioned you would be playing a campaign, and I'll assume you'd be campaigning with similar conditions: Lyran regiment vs Marik opponents.

Here's some general thoughts:

- You want to march units with a similar movement profile close together. This means they get affected by terrain similarly, and you'll be less easily tempted to stray off a unit because you see a tempting move elsewhere. IE, keeping the Dervish close with Atlas/Zeus/HBK combo would require some discipline, while also making the unit weaker, since it really needs to jump 5, or run 7 to survive.
- Obviously, you want to play the heavy metal role with Lyrans. This means learning how to overcome the associated speed deficiencies. Couple of ways to handle that:
* Lots of ranged weaponry. Your setup was actually decent for that. At that point, you focus on taking proper terrain, or  keeping the range in the brackets that suit you, but not them. You shoot the most fragile target with the most firepower first (in this example, the BLR because of its ammo) and keep lining movement to ensure you get nearly all your firepower heading at 1 target each turn.
* Go brawler. Load up on AC20s, SRMs and as many Medium Lasers as you can find the heatsinks for, rush as a single armored clump at the enemy, and fire, kick and punch at the same target until nothing remains. Care not about rear shots (the 2 escorting Mechs can worry about that) while the main four do their dirty work.
* Hammer and anvil approach. Half your force is made of armor and pain, the other is fast and brutal. You use the armored force to get the opponent engaged, then slam at them from behind with your faster elements moving in close formation. Hard to pull off if a typical fight is only 6 units, and if most fights are BV balanced, since you'll permit 100% of their BV to hammer only 70% of your BV or so while the hammer portion moves in place.

Note that most military strategy is concerned with making sure a fair fight never happens. But most games are meaningless unless both sides have an equal opportunity at winning the game.
The exception is a campaign, hence its appeal. In theory, it creates an environment where you can situationally have uneven combat, since there will be multiple battles that represent the whole.
That's relevant, since proper strategy on your part should allow you some opportunity at fights where you play to your strengths, and not your weaknesses.
Just realize that "uneven" doesn't always mean "favorable to you".

Fighting like a slow, armored, deadly force requires a certain inevitability to your action. The unspoken communication between you and your enemy. "Yes. You can flee from me whenever you want. But I am going to a place you cannot surrender to me. Stop me while you can."
Find the place he cannot run from. Make it, when you can.

Last piece of advice about playing like a Lyran: In many ways, it's always about cost and benefit. Return on investment. War is attrition. Make them pay for every retreat. Crush them when they stand. Armor is cheap, and you should spend it like coin the enemy has in deficiency.

Paul

In the campaign, you get 12 Mech Blueprints. These are the Mechs you can produce. Building a Mech costs the Mech's BV x2.

My 12 Blueprints are, currently:
-Light-
Commando COM-2D

-Medium-
Assassin ASN-101
Clint CLNT-1-2R
Dervish DV-6M
Enforcer ENF-4R
Hunchback HBK-4G
Witworth WTH-1

-Heavy-
Grasshopper GHR-5H
JagerMech JM6-A

-Assault-
Atlas AS7-RS
Banshee BNC-3S
Zeus ZEU-5T



So far, my opponents are:
1 Marik
To my knowledge, the rest are mercenary groups or lesser, self made, powers. The Campaign's host is playing the role of ComStar.

[grimlock1]

The first question to ask isn't "What should I do?" rather "What are they going to do?"

Long range punch will likely be built around the Awesome and Treb, but don't forget the Battlemaster and Cicada also have PPCs.  A mixed bit of good news is the Vulcan won't have that AC/2.  He won't be able to sit at extreme range and plink at you once you've got some gaps in your armor, but he's 40% tougher than the regular model with a nasty close range punch.

That Cicada scares me though.  It's real squishy but but at 7/11, it can put a PPC in some not nice places.

There's a lot of long range punch in that line up, but I have a hunch that isn't what your opponent is thinking.  I'm seeing a double envelopment where the Treb, Awesome and Battlemaster will draw your attention, and convince you to charge.  Once you commit, the fast, light elements will make strafing runs on your rear.  The Battlemaster will wade into the furball, while the Awesome and Treb float just outside minimum ranges.

The counter to this would be terrain.  He has speed and range, so stay tight, and keep out of sight of his big smackers.  Be ready for indirect fire from that Treb.  Stomp his small fry as they try to annoy you out of cover.  Once you have the Cicada and preferably the Vulcan out of the equation, you can start to bring the fight to him.  And by that point the Treb will probably be a little lighter on ammo, so less of a threat.

[Avitue]

In the campaign, you get 12 Mech Blueprints. These are the Mechs you can produce. Building a Mech costs the Mech's BV x2.

My 12 Blueprints are, currently:
-Light-
Commando COM-2D

-Medium-
Assassin ASN-101
Clint CLNT-1-2R
Dervish DV-6M
Enforcer ENF-4R
Hunchback HBK-4G
Witworth WTH-1

-Heavy-
Grasshopper GHR-5H
JagerMech JM6-A

-Assault-
Atlas AS7-RS
Banshee BNC-3S
Zeus ZEU-5T



So far, my opponents are:
1 Marik
To my knowledge, the rest are mercenary groups or lesser, self made, powers. The Campaign's host is playing the role of ComStar.

Judging from your available blueprints, I would suggest playing as lyran as you can. All three of your assaults are GOOD ones, make a LOT of them. Hoppers are brutal brawlers too, and pair well with the Hunchie/Enforcer/Whitworth trio. You can even have a Zeus anchor the heavy/med army.

Since you mentioned a 2x1 map earlier, I'm assuming that most fights will be under similar conditions?

if that is the case, I'd consider making a company along the lines of:

2x AS7-RS
2x BNC-3S

2x ZEU-5T
2x JM-1A

2x GHR-5H
1x ENF-4R
1x HBK-4G

With the first lance acting as a mid-range anchor that can brawl at will, second lance being the fire-support lance, and third lance going in their faces and brawling like lunatics.

[Nightgaun7]

Note that House Marik forces tend to bring fewer heavyweights, but will often outweigh and outnumber you. They're also no slouches at brawling themselves despite common perception, if the Marik players takes advantage of the tools available to him.

[Weirdo]

When looking at a mech you haven't used before, I would recommend checking out two places for advice on how to use it.

First is the Master Unit List. Use the search function to find the mech you're looking for, and the specific variant, for example, your Atlas. Most of the data there focuses on when a unit was introduced, and who has access to it in a given era, but what you're looking for is the Unit Role. Usually just a one-word classification, and technically meant for the Alpha Strike ruleset as opposed to regular Battletech, but nine times out of ten that role will sum up a mech's place on a Battletech battlefield as well.

The second is the Fan Articles section of this forum. Several years back, experienced players started writing Mech of the Week articles, a detailed look at a mech and all of its variants, what they have, what they can do, how to best use it, and how to best kill it. Eventually, those articles grew into the Fan Articles subforum we have today, and are an amazing resource for new and experienced players alike. I've been playing Battletech over half my life, and I still make sure to go dig up the relevant article whenever I plan to use something I haven't used in a while(or at all), or something I know my opponent will be using that weekend. Heck, I'll even check out stuff I've been using on a regular basis for years, because there's usually some tactic or insight somebody else has thought of that never occurred to me. Nothing will build up your tactical acumen like actual gameplay, but the Fan Articles are as close to the next best thing as it gets.

[JadeHellbringer]

One thing in your favor is that of Mariks' five best units in this era, you're only facing two (Awesome and Wolverine). The Hermes II has a twin-large laser configuration that is nasty to deal with (hot running, but still), the Orion is what most Mechs aspire to be and makes for a great matchup against your Zeuses, and the Marik version of the Marauder is (in my opinion) the finest heavy Mech available anywhere in this era of play. Not seeing those three makes your life a lot easier- in particular the Orion, which for some reason, despite several ammo bins and disparate weapons all over, always seems to just absorb a ferocious beating before finally going down. Good news, you won't deal with that nightmare! ;)

Echoing the Fan Article idea. Look that stuff up and see what's in there- not just the main article, but the comments. I was author of the vehicle one for a couple of years, and it never ceased to amaze me what ideas people would put out that even as the author I never really thought of.

[Kit deSummersville]

the Orion is what most Mechs aspire to be and makes for a great matchup against your Zeuses,

Bah, his Zeus has DHS, an ER PPC, ER LL and FF armor, the Orion is no match for that.

[JadeHellbringer]

Bah, his Zeus has DHS, an ER PPC, ER LL and FF armor, the Orion is no match for that.

Did I miss something? In 3039 he's got that kind of tech on production equipment?

If so, yeah, that to me suggests building just about anything else like the Atlas is a waste of resources, BUILD ZEUSES if that's the case!  :o

[Tai Dai Cultist]

Bah, his Zeus has DHS, an ER PPC, ER LL and FF armor, the Orion is no match for that.

Timmy said elsewhere that his campaign is supposed to be 3039 tech... if he's using that model it's probably something that the GM didn't notice and will take away when he does.

I'll echo the advice to check the MUL.... it happens to provide a very easy way to see what units have introtech technology.  When your GM said anything from TRO3039 w/o CASE I'd be willing to bet he meant to be restricting the game to introtech.  (No DHS, pulse lasers, etc)

[Kit deSummersville]

Did I miss something? In 3039 he's got that kind of tech on production equipment?

If so, yeah, that to me suggests building just about anything else like the Atlas is a waste of resources, BUILD ZEUSES if that's the case!  :o

He said the 5T, that's the LostTech version that rolled off the lines at the start of the First Succession War. It was mentioned in TRO 3039 so it might have snuck in.

[Sartris]

He said the 5T, that's the LostTech version that rolled off the lines at the start of the First Succession War. It was mentioned in TRO 3039 so it might have snuck in.

There are six 27th and 28th century standard-tech variants that made their way into in RS:3039u (3rd/4th SW availability in parenthesis)

CHP-1N2 (ComStar)
LNC25-01X (Extinct)
CPLT-C1b (Extinct)
ZEU-5S (Extinct)
ZEU-5T (Extinct)
KGC-010 (Extinct)

[Paul]

In the campaign, you get 12 Mech Blueprints. These are the Mechs you can produce. Building a Mech costs the Mech's BV x2.

Cool!
How do you earn BV?

My 12 Blueprints are, currently:
-Light-
Commando COM-2D

-Medium-
Assassin ASN-101
Clint CLNT-1-2R
Dervish DV-6M
Enforcer ENF-4R
Hunchback HBK-4G
Witworth WTH-1

-Heavy-
Grasshopper GHR-5H
JagerMech JM6-A

-Assault-
Atlas AS7-RS
Banshee BNC-3S
Zeus ZEU-5T

Bit of a mixed bag, that. I'll run them down individually with my $0.02 on each, but will start with what I consider a crude strategy based on some of the stuff in my prior posts.

Your three assault Mechs are all very good designs. Good job there. I'd make as many of those as you can afford. The Atlas and Banshee both have similar weaponry and speed, which is great. For simplicity's sake, build them (and deploy them) in pairs.
The Zeus is particularly excellent, but lacks a little in armor. It's also faster, so should be treated more like a mean Heavy, than a proper assault. It's best used against slower or equal speed opponents that can't match its range.
I don't really like any of your other designs; they're servicable, some are even good at what they do, it's just that *you* shouldn't be doing what they're good at. The Grasshopper, ENF and HBK all move similarly, and are going to be used in similar fashion in combat: your assaults do those jobs better, so they don't bring anything new to the table.

Your LRM-equipped Mechs (Dervish, Withworth and Jagermech) don't really compliment each other neither. The Dervish is supposed to go all cavalry, and in style matches the Enforcer, except the speed difference makes it hard to mix them in numbers. The Withworth is kind of a cheap LRM-equipped all-rounder. The JagerMech is actually a decent LRM boat, but can't hang with the Withworths in rough terrain. (Also, only use the AC2s briefly, then duck back in cover. Assault Mechs moving slow, or not at all, make great LRM indirect spotters)

Your remaining Mechs have speed, but won't make for a great cavalry element. The ASN's movement profile is great, but you'll really notice the lack of 2 JJs on it. The Commando has great firepower, but lacks endurance. Same for that Clint, who really can't get the job done without its JJs.

So, you'll have to make some decisions early as to how to support your main assault force:
- If cavalry style, you'll want to consider Mechs like the Dervish, maybe ENF, maybe the Clint and Commando, the latter two will only work if you deploy them in 4 against 1 target, and if you don't mind retreating them after a single pass against the enemy to avoid losses
- Brawler style, in which case the HBK and Grasshopper are your best investments. Get multiple of each.
- LRM support, so the Jager is your best bet. Runner up is the Witworth from a cost perspective. Though, as you can see, for just 200ish BV more, you get the Jager...

And that's it; don't try to do everything poorly, focus on one job and specialize in it.
Also, note that it'll pay to have 2 scouts in your formation as well in a campaign. The ASN is best equipped for that job.

Finally, discuss Smoke ammo with the GM. It's a great way to control how and where the enemy can shoot at you, key if you elect to go Brawler. Given the ludicrously quick way in which TacOps Smoke ammo dissipates, I'd suggest changing the rule to having the smoke act without time limit; modern day canisters can go several minutes, which extends well beyond most BT games. Also, it's one less thing to track.

So far, my opponents are:
1 Marik
To my knowledge, the rest are mercenary groups or lesser, self made, powers. The Campaign's host is playing the role of ComStar.

Interesting setup!


Individual assessments, feel free to ignore:

* Commando COM-2D
Lots of firepower, but it's all short range, and it's armor is pitiful. That combination only works if you're super fast; meaning you have no trouble making a 4+ modifier.
So, the Commando kinda sucks. You have to deploy a LOT of them against the same target to undo the suck. Try to avoid exposing yourself to incoming fire until the turn you swoop in for a short range barrage. Always move such that you break LOS after that barrage, or at least, that you get a 3+ modifier the following turn. Also make sure to not swoop in until your heavy elements are engaged with the targets, so they have to pick between Commandoes, and the assaults blasting them in the face.
Final note: don't forget about Fragmentation ammo. If you know (or assume) that you'll be facing infantry, a single Commando can be turned in to an infantry-shredding machine, without sacrificing much. (Just make sure to avoid Short Range shots: dont do the infy any favors)

* Assassin ASN-101
Excellent speed, OK firepower. Nice when you get him behind a target, which is now made harder without its full 7 JJs. Definitely inferior to the base model. It's missile launchers provide some utility though; put smoke in the LRM launcher, and inferno's in the SRM launcher, and you'll be able to get a lot done. They can also be tasked with anti-infantry, though their low firepower makes them less ideal for that.
ASN's shine when they're not really "worth" engaging because of their low firepower. Never give your enemy a shot at them when they have nothing else to shoot *but* the ASN.

* Clint CLNT-1-2R
Fun 'Mech, but it's pitiful armor and lack of JJs mean this will be a high priority to destroy. Building these will be a bad investment because of how easy it is to wreck them. If you can swap out only 1 blueprint, this should be it.
If you're stuck with it, just treat them like Commandoes. Only worth having when you have 4ish, only expose when your main force is engaging the target you're going after, and plan to only unleash 1 salvo before breaking contact again.
Expect to loose them a lot. A whole lot. Like even more than the Commando.
Can be used with frag ammo to go anti-infantry, and with incendiary ammo to go firestarter, but whatever. Horrible Mech.

* Dervish DV-6M
Great Mech, love these guys to death. They don't really fit your style of fighting though; Dervishes are best around other 5/8/5 Mechs. If you do decide to make them, create a small wolf pack of them, 3-4, which go out and do stuff together. Don't bother with LRM indirect fire, use your speed to set up range 6 and range 7 shots on isolated targets. Use the LRM range and your JJs to keep going for ideal range shots and undo the effects of jumping. Surprisingly effective, especially if you can keep jumping in to woods.
Do note that you've got a bit of an SRM ammo bomb on your Mechs. You can mitigate this a little with adding special ammo, but ask your GM if you can start with less than max rounds. Empty 1 bin, and only put 10-20 total rounds in the other, for 5-10 turns of endurance. Any more just gets you in trouble. (Naturally, Smoke ammo is another good idea in the empty bin, since it doesn't explode)

*Enforcer ENF-4R
Very solid line 'Mech, that should use its weapons range bands to frustrate designs that have a bunch of 3/6/9 range weapons. Just avoid getting backshot by fast gnats (IE, by making the area behind them the Short Range band of your pack of assault Mechs) and concentrate fire a lot. Best deployed in 3-4 at a time, and concentrating against 1 target.

* Hunchback HBK-4G
Everyone knows this particular bastard, and everyone fears it. You can use this displace enemies from terrain. If you make these, make several, and push hard. Just beware: everyone knows what a HBK can do, so they'll try real hard to drop it before it gets in range. A goal which is quite achievable if you let them.
Another good use for a HBK is as a threat-in-being. Park them behind a hill to prevent all incoming fire, and the enemy will be quite reluctant to pass that hill and get hammered by the AC20. If you control your enemies actions, you're probably winning.

* Witworth WTH-1
Surpisingly competent trooper Mech, they're good in swarms. Excessive ammo, but you may as well try to drop it all on the enemy before closing. Note its relatively heavy armor: you can use these to scrap with the enemy in a pinch. They'll just be the first to die, so use them wisely.
Have enough LRM launchers to dedicate 1 ton of ammo to Frag to wipe out infantry without compromising their main use. The second ton would also be well spent as smoke.

* Grasshopper GHR-5H
Love these grumpy bastards. This is the guy in a fist fight who punches you in the mouth just because he knows it hurts. Get up close, unleash lasers and punches. Use JJs to get behind deserving opponents. Kick off legs when 14 points would do it, otherwise don't risk it. If you want to see funny, get like 4 of these and rush the same target, kicking it 4 times. Provided all 4 hit, the odds are decent you saw a leg disappear. Jump/run out for another victim, then come back to the original, and kick him out of existence. Hows that feel, lad? You like the taste of yer own blood? Sure ya do!
(note: when kick swarming, only put 1 Mech on the sides (Right or Left) to improve the odds of damage concentrating on that 1 leg. Also note that 4 Kicks that hit = 5 Piloting Skill Rolls for the target: one for each Kick that made it, one for 20+ damage, perhaps more due to damage)

* JagerMech JM6-A
OK version of the Jager. The original AC5 model benefits from being minimally relevant, so people won't make it a priority target. This guy will not be treated similarly. Bring these if your plan includes LRM indirect fire. Try to avoid direct-fire shots, unless they happen at Long Range for the enemy. Even then you'd best be cover, and you'd best have a path to break LOS with a single move.
AC2s make decent anti-aircraft guns. So do LRMs.
Edit: bring Flak ammo for the AC2s if you suspect enemy VTOLs or aerospace/conventional fighters. You sacrifice little in anti-ground firepower, but drastically amplify the pain for the little flying bastards. Worth considering on your AC10 Mechs if the threat is substantial. Note that both the Atlas and Banshee have 2 tons of AC10 ammo; swapping 1 for special ammo isn't a bad idea in just about every mission. 10 rounds is a little light, but 20 usually means explosion risk.

* Atlas AS7-RS
One of the better Atlas configs. Get to range 7-10 and bring the pain. When possible, rush in to do some kicking, especially if you brought another Atlas and Banshee to kick the same target. Kicking for assault mechs is a bit of a double-edged sword though, unless done against smaller targets.
Note: keep an eye on the LRM ammo. It'll be the only thing to dissuade the enemy from taking PPC shots at you from range 16. And don't be shy about breaking LOS.

* Banshee BNC-3S
Extremely good assault Mech that pairs well with the Atlas above. It's PPC gives it endurance against faster targets that try to play the range game, but this guy should be right behind (or beside) the Atlas as you rain fire down on the target at range 7-10. Don't shy away from physical attacks.

* Zeus ZEU-5T
Really good version of the Zeus, but actually geared for a more cavalry style approach then pure assault mech. Use the excellent range of your main guns to best effect. Range 7 is perfect for you. Anything up to range 14 is tolerable. If you find yourself using the ML in the Center Torso a lot, you're doing it wrong. A small pack of these bastards can wreck stuff, just make sure the enemy has to choose between shooting the Zeus-es and the Atlas/Banshee pack.

Overall advice:
When the Atlases and Banshees start to get a tad thin on armor, rotate them back for ranged shots, and bring the Zeuses closer to take their turn. Each of those designs have 200-300 armor, so you should never push them so that the enemy gets internal hits (barring lucky grouping). This will start to have a demotivating effect on the enemy, they keep firing and nothing ever happens.
Note that disengaging with the Atlas and Banshee will be REAL hard if they're engaged in physical attacks, so that strategy is best used when you actively try to keep your enemy in the 5-10 range box as discussed above. Then just back the wounded Mech up while the rest maintains range, and within a turn or 2, it'll be a range bracket further than the fresh guys. This means the enemy now has to decide on reducing the % of damage they get to hit with each turn just to keep shooting the wounded Mech, or they have to decide to shoot a fresh slab of armor.

Key to your victory will be rotating Mechs such that they will always be shooting at fresh armor. You may even have to pull back a Mech after it received a single salvo, just to force the issue. You'll be bringing a LOT of armor, make them shoot through it all before even the first heat sink pops.

Paul